The rendering of audio signals for audio perception by a listener using wearable devices can be achieved using headphones connected to the wearable device. Headphones can provide the audio signals directly to the auditory system of the listener and can therefore provide an adequate audio quality. However, headphones represent a second independent device which the listener needs to put into or onto his ears. This can reduce the comfort when using the wearable device. This disadvantage can be mitigated by integrating the rendering of the audio signals into the wearable device.
Bone conduction can, e.g., be used for this purpose wherein bone conduction transducers can be mounted behind the ears of the listener. Therefore, the audio signals can be conducted through the bones directly into the inner ears of the listener. However, as this approach does not produce sound waves in the ear canals, it may not be able to create a natural listening experience in terms of audio quality or spatial audio perception. In particular, high frequencies may not be conducted through the bones and may therefore be attenuated. Furthermore, the audio signal conducted at the left ear side may also travel to the right ear side through the bones and vice versa. This crosstalk effect can interfere with binaural localization of spatial audio sources.
The described approaches for audio rendering of audio signals using wearable devices constitute a trade-off between listening comfort and audio quality. Headphones can allow for an adequate audio quality but can lead to a reduced listening comfort. Bone conduction may be convenient but can lead to a reduced audio quality.